


You are, you were. You were, you are.

by bananaquit



Category: Dead Poets Society (1989)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-19
Updated: 2018-01-19
Packaged: 2019-03-06 15:46:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13414485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bananaquit/pseuds/bananaquit
Summary: Todd reads at a meeting for the first time.





	You are, you were. You were, you are.

**Author's Note:**

> prompt from an anon on tumblr: todd reads a poem at a dps meeting

With shaking hands, Todd unfolded the sheet of notebook paper that held his poem. This would be the first time he’d read at all at a Society meeting, let alone shared his own work. Today, that was going to change. The other boys were doing things, going places; Neil trying out for the play, Knox in his relentless pursuit of Chris (a morally troubling pursuit, but the spirit was there).  His cool breath billowed into the air as the other boys stared at him expectantly, their flashlights trained on him like spotlights, the floor of the cave a stage. He never was one for public speaking, but then again, carpe diem.

“O-okay,” Todd began. “When I say “you are, you were” in the first stanza, you guys echo back with “you were, you are”. And it’s the same type of thing in the second stanza, just say “you are, you were” instead.” The boys responded with slightly confused nods. “I-it’ll make sense when I read it.” Todd looked down at the paper, a mess of scribbled out lines and phrases, a painter’s palette of words, beautiful and messy. Finally, he began.

 

“You are, you were.”

  
  
Todd gestured for a reply. It took a few seconds, but the boys eventually managed a choppy answer, though they started at different moments. “You were, you are.”

 

“You were

quiet, soundless

You hid in words unspoken

You are, you were.”

 

“You were, you are.” The reply was far faster and more unanimous this time.

 

“You were

fearful, timid

a blurry background image

You are, you were.”

 

“You were, you are.”

 

“You were

nothing, worthless

believed your thoughts were only static

You were, you are.”

 

Another second of slight confusion, but again, the boys managed to speak. “You are, you were.”

 

“You are

loud, bold

a burning star, a blasting radio

You were, you are.”

 

“You are, you were.” they echoed.

 

“You are

fighting and courageous

standing out amongst the crowd

You were, you are.”

 

“You are, you were.”

 

“You are

valuable, important

your words command the masses

 You were lying still,

shrouded in the dark

You are moving mountains

fold them up to touch the stars

You are not what you were.

You were not what you are.”

 

Everyone sat in stunned silence for a moment, like the world was holding its breath.

"Who is that about?” one of the voices from the shadows asked.  
  
Todd folded his paper and let a tiny smirk tug at the edges of his lips. “Me.”  
  
The entire cave erupted into cheers.


End file.
